Declaration

As the first Santa Marta conference drew to a close in Rome on 10 April 2014, police chiefs from around the world made a declaration of commitment in the fight to bring an end to human trafficking and domestic slavery.

Called the Santa Marta Commitment, named after the house in the Vatican where the signatories stayed during the two-day conference, the law enforcement leaders made the pledge to work together to “eradicate the scourge of this serious criminal activity, which abuses vulnerable people”.

Full Text of Declaration

On this date 10th April 2014 in the Vatican, senior law enforcement officials and representatives of the Catholic Church met to plan ways of together combating Human Trafficking and Slavery.

The Holy Father Pope Francis has endorsed this event and has stated:

“I exhort the international community to adopt an even more unanimous and effective strategy against human trafficking, so that in every part of the world, men and women may no longer be used as a means to an end, and that their inviolable dignity may always be respected.”

As senior law enforcement officials within the international community, we commit to eradicate the scourge of this serious criminal activity, which abuses vulnerable people.

This conference is part of a process where we work together on the international stage to develop strategies in prevention, pastoral care and re-integration, placing the victim at the centre of all we do.

I make a personal commitment to developing partnerships with the Church and civil society to bring to justice those who are responsible for these horrendous crimes and to alleviate the suffering of the victims.